building a 302

[superdude144]

whats up guys?

i was thinking about building a 302 for my 87. i wanna do it from scratch and put it in place of the 302 i have in there now, and then transplant that into a different car after i rebuild it as well. im looking to spend about 1000 to 1500 on parts other than the block and any machine work that i would need. any suggestions on cam and crank? id like to reuse the crank if possible and go with a meaner cam. what about bore (if any other than cleaning it and trueing it) rods and heads? ive built 4 engines already, but i didnt do anything but oem, and for some reason i get freaked out when it comes to the numbers side of engines. any input would be appreciated, and any links to what other people have already done would be cool too. id like to reach somewhere areound 350 hp, but would settle around 300 if i got gobs of torque out of the thing. and i plan on bolting the stock efi back up. thanks

 

[Broncobill78]

300-350hp may be a bit optimistic for a $1500 budget. That kind of cash will buy you a mild stroker kit which will be your best bet for increasing HP & torque. HP & torque cost $$$, that's a cold hard fact that there's just no getting around. You're going to get what you pay for, nothing more & quite possibly less depending on the parts combination choices you make.

Your 87' uses speed density fuel injection & that system doesn't respond very well to large changes in airflow such as those a larger cam produces. You'll have to stick with a rebuild that's very close to stock specs or include the cost of upgrading the EFI into your budget.

If you DO upgrade the EFI then consider looking for a 5.0HO block that will already be machined for a roller cam. You'll get the most bang for your buck by ditching the speed density EFI and converting it to a carb'd engine. This will allow you to build it however you want and not dealing with EFI conflicts.

 

[superdude144]

i wasnt too optimistic about hitting high power with low amounts of cash... im not opposed to going carbed, but how easy would it be to go from efi to carb, i know i shouldnt have to add much if anything, but id be leaving a lot of wiring that id have to deal with right? is it just as simple as capping or removing complete circuits?

 

[Broncobill78]

Swapping to a carb is relatively easy. You'll need a new intake manifold, carb, coil & distributor. As far as the wiring goes I'd just take everything that isn't used any longer fold it back on itself, tape if up & stick it in a loom and forget about it. The ck engine light on the dash will always be illuminated of course so get in the an pull the bulb before it drives you nuts

Now, of course, I'm only suggesting this if you happen to be in a state where you can get away with it. Most states with annual vehicle inspections frown on this sort of thing & will fail you. The truck will either fail the visual or emissions parts of the test & most testers will fail you automatically if the ck engine light is lit. Assuming these aren't issues for you then go to town with it.

Another alternative to consider that will work well with your budget would be to look for a late model (89-93) Mustang engine & swap the cam. This will give you a well built 302 with a roller cam & Mass Air. The EFI & computer will easily accept any modifications you make further down the road while starting you off with a very decent powerplant. Just something to kick around.

 

[Krafty]

if you want gobs of power go with a bigger motor. find a 351, 390, 400, 429, or 460, rip a healthy 460 out of an old motorhome and you'll have 500 + ftlbs of torque without bolting on a single aftermarket part. plus...... you can do all that fun upgradin stuff and get wayyy better results. and if you are worried about mileage, then just use a 2bbl intake and carb from a 429 thunderjet and you still have huge power for about $500. my 429 gets the same mileage as the 302 I took the carb from and im dyno'd at 470 ftlbs and 380 hp

 

[Krafty]

if you want gobs of power go with a bigger motor. find a 351, 390, 400, 429, or 460, rip a healthy 460 out of an old motorhome and you'll have 500 + ftlbs of torque without bolting on a single aftermarket part. plus...... you can do all that fun upgradin stuff and get wayyy better results. and if you are worried about mileage, then just use a 2bbl intake and carb from a 429 thunderjet and you still have huge power for about $500. my 429 gets the same mileage as the 302 I took the carb from and im dyno'd at 470 ftlbs and 380 hp